Review: Dragon Heat

Reviewed by Shelly

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this story, considering that it’s a relatively new author. I always hope for something good, but you just never know. Phoenix you’ve got yourself a new fan.

Draconian demigoddess, Zoricah, is on the hunt for the killer who has been taking out both dracos and vampires. The bad guys have finally done the unthinkable and taken one of Zoricah’s and she doesn’t have a lot of time to get her people back alive. Using her only option, she enlists the help of Tardieh, the Vampire King who she’s helped out in the past. Will these two put their differences aside and do what’s right for their people?

This was a fun, sexy, solid story. There are a couple of issues that could be solved with some stronger editing, but they didn’t take away from the story. Phoenix’s world building for the existence of dragons and vampires was well done. I found myself pleasantly enthralled with the imagery. Born into a world where their differences made them enemies, Zoricah didn’t let that stop her from helping Tardieh escape from a brutal imprisonment that he suffered by the hands of an unknown assailant. It’s too bad that Tardieh’s trust of her was based not on her actions but by tradition.

I thought these two were really well suited and I found myself rooting for them as a couple. Zoricah was a strong leader, fighter and woman, but not so strong that she couldn’t and wouldn’t take the advice of her most trusted warriors. Her ‘girls’ as she called them – which of course totally reminded me of Charlie and his angels – were well suited and provided the levity that she needed to continue by not taking herself too seriously and still getting the job done. The Vampire King, Tardieh, was actually a nice guy. He has his special moments of needing a verbal take-down or two, but overall I must say he was surprisingly and pleasantly likable. His guards added a nice foil to Zoricah’s girls and I can definitely see a future where they’re flushed out with their own stories.

The chemistry between Zoricah and Tardieh was smoking hot and although it moves along pretty fast, there’s the backstory of their acquaintance that makes their romance not seem so rushed. Taken as a whole, this was a good effort and I very much look forward to more from this author.